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John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough: The General Who Never Lost A Battle.

Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.

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John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, is widely regarded as Britain's greatest general — yet his remarkable story remains surprisingly unfamiliar to many.

The Duke of Marlborough won five major pitched battles against Louis XIV's armies, including the famous Battle of Blenheim in 1704, which saved the Grand Alliance from collapse and broke the myth of French invincibility. He successfully besieged nearly 30 fortresses, commanded multinational armies of up to 100,000 men, and was never defeated in battle.

But military genius alone did not secure his position. 

His wife, Sarah Churchill, maintained a close friendship with Princess Anne that proved crucial to his career. When Anne became queen, Sarah Churchill's influence helped elevate Marlborough to unprecedented heights — a dukedom, command of all English forces, and the manor of Woodstock where he would build Blenheim Palace.

Yet when that friendship soured, Marlborough lost everything. Despite his victories, including the Battle of Blenheim, he was dismissed in disgrace, accused of corruption, and forced into exile.

We also trace the connection to his descendent, Winston Churchill, who wrote a four-volume biography defending his ancestor and is buried just outside Blenheim Palace.
The War of the Spanish Succession reshaped Europe, and Marlborough was central to that transformation.

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